Squares and the number two
by kamwolfe5
Summary: Victims are being found with strange wounds and markings...Jane and Maura are lead on a murderous investigation that leads to an even deadlier ending...
1. Chapter 1

"MAURA! WHERE ARE YOU? MAURA…MAURA! ANSWER ME!"

Jane ran faster down the hall of the hotel; her eyes frantically darting back and forth. She looked down the corresponding halls as she past them, looking for any sign that Maura might have gone…been taken in that direction. She did not see anything after the second hall and she called out again.

"MAURA! WHERE ARE YOU!"

-Please answer me…-Jane thought…-please- The lights flickered over head and Jane cursed silently to herself as the darkness that shadowed every corner made it difficult to see anything clearly. Her heart pounded in her chest. -I should not have left her alone…-

Maura slid against the wall to the floor and held her left shoulder tight. Blood seeped through slightly parted fingers and she rocked her head back and forth against the hardness of the wall behind her. Her heart pounded in her chest. She heard her name as if it were said in a dream. The drugs had taken affect and her throat was beginning to close up. Sweet rolled down the side of her face and against her cheek. Her vision was blurry, but she knew…felt that she was not alone.

"…Jane…"

A massive dark and fuzzy image shadowed over her and she attempted to clear her vision to see it. Maura blinked rapidly to no avail.

"…what do you want…" she said with hardly any sound at all coming from her lips. The massive figure raised a blurry arm and something metallic glittered in the dim flashes of light.

She could not move…

…"Jane…"

Maura screamed…

* * *

Three days before…

Maura leaned over the most recent victim and stared into it's frozen face of death. She tilted her head to the side and sighed.

"If only you could tell me who killed you…"

"Talking to the dead again, Maura?"

"I would know that sarcastic tone and voice anywhere…" Maura said with a smile as she turned around to face Det. Jane Rizzoli. Instantly she dropped her scalpel and wrapped her arms around the detective in a warm embrace. She felt Jane tense slightly. As soon as she had done it, she stopped herself and pulled back. She provided an innocent grin. "Sorry…"

"Don't be. After all, when you only have the dead to talk to…" Jane let her words trail off into the silence of the room and then she too smiled back. She adverted her eyes and sighed still smiling.

"You have a point…" Maura said and arched her eyebrows, taking a casual look back at the dead body on her examination table. She nodded.

"I have a point," Jane repeated and chuckled. It had been two months now since she had been gone on a very delicate case. She had not been able to tell anyone where she was or even see familiar faces during that time. It had not been that hard really, but upon seeing the doctor again, she realized she had missed her friend. "So, what are you working on?" She asked and took a step up to the table where the dead lay in its eternal slumber.

"Oh, that," Maura said as she cleared her throat. "He was found down town…last night. Cause of death is…well, not clear. No ID on him, no weapons…no defensive wounds… Just this…" Maura placed her hands on the victim's shoulders and gently rolled him to his side to show Jane just how strange the case was proving to be. What Jane saw before her made her stomach knot slightly. On the man's back were two square cuts all the way to the bone about as wide as an adult foot's width. However, that was not what was the sickening part. The center of each square hole was black as if the bone had been burned or made that color. Maura saw the questioned look over Jane's face. "It is black paint…black metallic car paint. Specifically from a 1980's style model Toyota. I am not sure yet as to why it is there."

"…and you said he was found down town?"

"Yes, by two women who were heading home from one of the local bars…around 4:30 am."

"Man, I should have stayed where I was," Jane said sarcastically.

Maura continued. "I am working on cause of death now. These wounds did not cause this man's death. I already sent blood work, hair samples, and particulars to the lab. I have not received them back yet…."

"Well, let me know when you get them…I have to go check in with the boss." Jane paused, sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeeeahhhh…" Then she waved at Maura as she headed out.

"Dinner later?" Maura called out.

"Definitely…"Jane yelled back.

* * *

A woman climbed out of her car, shut the door, and locked it. The air was cooler than normal for an early fall night. She did not hear the footsteps behind her nor did she see the figure that came upon her fast. A hand went around her face to stop the scream and another arm went around her body to halt a further struggle. The figure was strong…inhumanly so. It slowly dragged the barely struggling body from the light and from the car. There was not a soul on the street. Hours later her body lay face down in a ditch, with two identical square holes dug into the back. The body was stripped from all clothing from the waist up. Her face was frozen in horror. Blood was dried at the corners of her mouth.

* * *

"So you really cannot say where you were for the past two months?"

"If I killed you afterward," Jane gave Maura a serious face and then snickered when Maura looked shocked.

"Right…the fake out…" Maura said with a soft laugh and then took a slow, tasting sip of her wine. Jane slugged down her second beer. "Thanks for that."

"You are most welcome!"

"Aside from anything else…are you done?"

"Not entirely…"

"Not entirely?"

"I have to go back, but I need some help this time…I need your help…your expertise…"

Maura cleared her throat and blinked once. "Okay…" she paused a beat, "but what about my current case?"

"Maura…you don't have a current case. You just have victims," Jane said. Maura looked slightly hurt, but it was hard to tell with her seriousness.

"Ok, my current victims…" she said with a shake of her head and a roll of her eyes.

"Right," Jane said and tapped the edge of the table for the bar tender to bring another round. "So all I can tell you is that your current 'case' as you put it…has more to do with why I need your help. When we get there…to the safe location, I will be able to tell you more." Jane saw Maura's face light up as if she was a young girl finally given the pony for Christmas. She knew she had her friend's help even before the verbal agreement.

"Count me in then…" Maura said with a huge grin of child like excitement. Jane shook her head with a sigh and smiled back.

* * *

"You could have told me this was a resort?" Maura said as she stepped out of the taxi in front of one very big hotel. Although she had seen bigger, she kept her mouth shut.

"This is just where we are staying Maura and besides, you packed enough to go anywhere around the world…" Jane said as the taxi attendee helped with their luggage and they were given keys to their rooms by the front desk staff.

"Fair enough…"Maura replied.

A figure watched from across the street as the two women headed into the building.

A few hours later, Maura sat next to Jane in her hotel room while they looked over photos and files of the case. Maura saw the same square wounds on the more than a dozen victims in the photos. "This is beginning to look more like a serial murderer Jane."

"Exactly… which is why I needed you. You medical eyes will help a long way in this case."

"Why was I brought in now…?"

"Because of how many victims are being found. I got word of the recent victim…the one you were looking at when I came in a few days ago and I knew that it had come full circle. I knew that I needed to get this thing solved and with you…I can do it…"

A figure walked down the hall outside of the rooms, quiet, almost motionless in it's steps. The hunt had begun…


	2. Chapter 2

Jane Rizzoli froze when she heard the scream. Her eyes widened and she spun around and ran back in the opposite direction she and previously been heading. The scream…Maura's scream had come from behind. Jane cursed again and paused a brief second down the hall at a crossroads.

"Maura!" She yelled and listened.

Maura moaned softly and her head rolled to the side. Blood pour from a gash in her chest and her breath was ragged. She heard faint words…words of her name off in the distance. The massive black figure still stood in front of her and when Jane had called out to her, it had jerked and looked back. Maura swallowed hard, her throat dry and her voice weak. -Leave-she thought-please leave…Jane…-

MAURA!" Jane yelled again and listened.

The blurry figure seemed to disappear after Jane's words were spoken again and Maura was alone now. A few tears fell from her eyes and her lower lip quivered. Terrified was an understatement now. She forced another swallow and trembling, pushed out one word…

"…Jane…"

The word was just loud enough that Jane finally heard it and was able to locate the direct from which it came. Her heart was beating faster now and she sucked in deeper breathes. She attempted to mentally prepare for what she was going to see…but nothing would ever prepare her for what she did see. Just around the second corner that she came to she saw Maura, slouched against the far wall with blood that was beginning to pool on the floor around her.

"MAURA!"

Jane rushed to her side and took her friend's face in her hands. She gently rolled Maura's face up and toward her. She looked into the closed eyes of Dr Maura Isles.

* * *

"15 people Jane," Maura said disgustedly and with a mixture of sadness. She stared down at more than a dozen photos, each having the same wounds and body position of death. Her heart ached for them, but her mind was alert and ready to take death at its own game. Maura picked up one photo and then another, studying each one…each life that was gone. Jane watched her friend in awe. She knew she could never do what Maura did, look at death…although she did it every day. It was different for Maura.

"I only hope there is no more," she said lightly and sighed. Jane's shoulders dropped and she ran her fingers through long raven hair in thought. "The only connection that I can see so far is the wound markings. Do you see anything further?" She asked her friend.

"Yes…"

"What?"

"They all have similar major alar cartilage."

"English?"

"They all have similar shapes to the nose, length, and nostrils."

"Ok and that is relevant because…"

"I don't know yet…"

Jane looked from Maura to the photos and back again, thinking…"Family members? Relatives?"

"Seems to be…"Maura said and set down the last photo.

* * *

A figure walked in front of the door where Jane and Maura were held up in with evidence. It paused, sniffed at the air and then continued onward farther down the hall. It took out a key card and unlocked the door that was next to Maura's room and went inside. On the bed lay the most recent victim…eyes and mouth open in a soundless scream. It smiled and touched the face of the young woman then let its hand slowly graze over the chest and left breast. It sighed and sniffed at the air again. Death…had a marvelous smell…

* * *

"Maura…oh god Maura! Wake up! WAKE UP!" Jane screamed and lightly smacked Maura's cheek. It took a moment for her eyes to flutter and then partially open. In that moment, Jane looked over her friend's wounds. She became scared and angry as she saw the hole in her left shoulder and gash in the right part of her chest. As she looked at her, Maura's chest barely rose and fell.

"…Jane…"

Jane's eyes shot up from Maura's chest to her face. Maura's lips parted, but barely a sound came out. "We have to get you out of here…" Jane said and gently put her arms around her friend to lift her up. The movement caused Maura to whimper in pain and force Jane to stop. By now, Jane's white t shirt was covered in Maura's blood. -Oh god Maura…don't die…-Jane thought. She set her friend back down and looked around the hall. She saw an emergency phone on the other side of the small area and stood. "You stay alive…Maura…that is a direct order…"

It watched from the shadows as the dark haired woman left the its victim alone. Saliva pooled in the corner of its mouth and it licked its lips. The figure watched the other woman in amazement, but then let its eyes fall back to the victim, to Maura. Eyes glistened in the shear pleasure of the blood that soaked the clothing of the woman.

Jane picked up the receiver and listened for a dial tone. Her heart stopped when at first she did not hear it. Then the familiar sound buzzed in her ear. Jane closed her eyes and whispered a thanks and then hit '911.'

It moved from the shadows toward Maura.

Jane looked back to check on Maura who looked in her direction with partially closed eyes….and she saw it…

"MAURA!"

To be continued…

* * *

I do know own the characters, but I am borrowing them for just a little imagination.


	3. Chapter 3

Maura opened the room door and greeted the room service attendant that stood there. The smells were wonderful and she found her stomach growling embarrassingly. Maura smiled sweetly.

"I guess I must be hungrier than I thought…" Maura said to the man who was smitten with her. She moved aside and allowed him to enter. Jane was on the phone talking to another member of the team about the findings within the photos that Maura had looked at. "Just put it by the end of the bed," she said to the attendant as she went to her bag and pulled out a twenty. As she turned around to hand him the tip, he was already behind her and it caused her to startled. "Oh! I did not see you," she said and looked up into the face of the very handsome young man. Maura cleared her throat and handed him the twenty to which he graciously took. She thanked him and let him out. The attendant paused as the door was shut behind him and he stared back at the closed door.

Two doors down, another lay dead just inside a room. Blood pool at the body's head. The attendant's eyes glistened with nasty thoughts of what he could do to the woman he had just met. His mouth watered and he licked his lips. -Soon- he thought- soon-.

"Great! Dinner, I am starved!" Jane said as she hung up the phone. Tonight was their stake out, while Maura and she looked at evidence and photos.

"I know, my piriform sac was already growling as I answered the door. It was just embarrassing."

"Excuse me?" Jane said and blinked at her friend. "Geesus Maura sometimes I just don't understand you…"

"What I just said was my stomach was growling…"

"Oh was that it?" Jane countered sarcastically and chuckled. "You really are strange…"

"Thank you…"

"Haha… Let's eat!"

* * *

"YOU GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Jane yelled as she bolted toward the figure and Maura. The figure jerked and looked up just as he was tackled. Jane instantly began to beat his face in. Behind her, Maura tried to focus, but she knew she had lost more blood than would allow for it.

"WHO ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU…ANSWER ME!" Jane continued to yell, but got nothing but a stare in return for words. She snarled. "Maura," she called back to her friend, "you still with me?"

"Yes…but I need to get to…a…hospital…so…soon."

Beneath her, the man took the beating. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as Jane looked down at him. She showed no sympathy. After Maura spoke, Jane looked back to her and Maura saw the concern over Jane's face. -I know Maura-Jane thought. The man began to move underneath Jane's grasp and brought her attention back. "What to do with you…huh?" She said through gritted teeth. She did not want to take her hands off of him, but she needed to help Maura. Jane thought for a beat and then she removed her belt. A moment later she had the man's wrists tied behind his back. She could do nothing about his ankles so she threatened him to move a muscle.

Outside sirens could be heard and Jane breathed a sigh of relief. She pulled a small gun from her ankle holster and aimed it at him, once she removed her grasp from him. "You move, you end up with a few more holes in that head of yours." She walked backward to Maura and kneeled while still facing the man with her eyes and firearm. "Hey there…" she said softly and reached gently over to brush some hair away from Maura's forehead. "You still with me?"

Maura's words were weaker than before. "Yeah…"

"Just hang in there…they are coming. Ok…Hey! Just make it easy for me pal," she called over to the man who had moved his leg. "Please make it easy for me…" Jane's eyes held a fury that only showed when someone messed with those that she cared about. She was still breathing hard when flash lights caught in the corner of her eye from the emergency crew.

* * *

"Sooooo gooood," Jane mumbled with a mouthful of food.

"That really is disgusting, Jane," Maura said as she wiped her mouth free from any crumbs. "Could you be anymore like a man?"

"I could try, but…"Jane replied and burped lightly into her hand while reaching for a beer. "I won't…excuse me…"

Maura shook her head. "So, I think I have determined that all the victims were related in some way. The blood samples you provided from the lab helped to determine that. What I still have yet to understand is why. Why they are being targeted. What makes them special…"

"The killer has to see something in them. Something that he desires…"

"What good facial features…because that is what I see."

"No…something desired in a sense, something that he lacks…"

Maura picked up two of the photos and stared that them. Jane's words echoed in her mind. "Something he lacks…" she mirrored.

The predator licked his fingers clean of blood and sighed in bliss. The image of the woman smiling in the doorway and then how he had caused her to jump was pulling at all the real emotions that he had left. He reached down and felt his member already growing hard. Who was she? What could he do…how could he have her…His mind raced with thoughts of her blood covering his hands and body. He imagined her fear…her face in horror and the lovely sounds of her screams as he took the life from her. It would be very soon now…he knew that…He looked back at the bed that had been cleaned from his last victim and smiled as the vision of Maura in death became visible. He breathed heavily now. "Very soon…"

A few hours later, Maura waved, "Night Jane…" and shut her friend's hotel room door behind her. She walked across to her door and yawned. She unlocked it with her room key and once inside with the door shut and locked, stretched and yawned again. She rubbed her tired eyes and then yelped as someone came lunging toward her. Her body was slammed against the door and her air was restricted by two very powerful hands. Maura panicked and attempted to get the hands removed from her throat, but to no avail. Across the hall, Jane slipped into the shower and let the warm waters caress her tired body.

"You scream…you die faster," the figure said to Maura. Then he leaned closer to her and sniffed. Her fear was intoxicating. He smiled and Maura shivered.

"What do you want…" she barely was able to say. He saw the fear in her eyes and could not have been more pleased with his choice. She would do nicely.

"…You…"he said back to her and smiled darkly. He removed from hand from her throat, but kept the other firmly in place. He reached up and stroked a finger down her jaw line and then along the bridge of her nose. Maura's eyes widened in final realization.

-Oh god…it's him…-

To be continued…


End file.
